Surprising Unsurprising Surprise
by Ace7321
Summary: So, Tifa knew Cloud's plan of making a surprise for her. But still, things turn out to be a little... surprising for her. A typical CloTi Fic.


_A.N : Okay, this is my first FFVII fanfic so, please take it easy on me! :)_

_Disclaimers : I do not own anything belongs to FF. They are to their respective owners... but I do wish to own them..._

**Surprising Unsurprising Surprise**

Tifa hates it. Hates this kind of day. Being alone in the house with silence as the house's only companion is killing her. Marlene and Denzel are at Barret's place and won't be back until next week. Meanwhile, Cloud is out for some delivery orders around Kalm. To make the day worse, she couldn't open the bar today as today is Monday, the day for the bar to restock after the mass amount of customers yesterday.

After checking the liquors in each crate (which will be her only busy schedule), she check around the house for some dust. Lying around is not really her thing, Tifa is quite restless.

**RING!**

'Finally, some noise.'

The business telephone begins to sing at the counter. In a good way, it breaks the whole house silence, but in the bad way, more work for Cloud. She sighs and picks it up.

"Strife Delivery Service, how may I help you?" She said in her usual polite tone.

"Good day, I am Mr. Lazlo. I have a package to be delivered to my house this morning, but now it's already midday. So, I want ask about it."

By then, Tifa is already reaching for her cell phone in her pocket, "Umm… please wait a moment, sir. I'll go check for it."

She flips the cell open and begins to search for Cloud's number in the log. But, then she is interrupted as Mr. Lazlo muttered an 'Excuse me' and Tifa could hear the footsteps getting further and further away from the line. Tifa patiently waits for him all the while scrolling for Cloud's number, and much to her surprise, she heard a familiar voice. She stops abruptly and sticks her ear to the phone to listen.

"_Good afternoon, sir. I am Cloud from Strife Delivery Service. I am here to give your delivery."_

Listening to Cloud's voice, it makes Tifa glad somehow. She is glad to hear him safe. And she smiles when she hear how polite Cloud is to his customers.

"_Ah, finally. You are late, though." _Mr. Lazlo's voice and the sound of handing something can be heard next.

"_I met some monsters on the way here." _He replies in a simple answer.

"_I see… And I had just called to your delivery centre. And a lady picked it up. Your wife?" _

"_No, sir. She's my housemate." _Tifa practically broke in half. Housemate?

"_Your girlfriend then?"_

And there is a short silence before Cloud finally replies.

"… _I wished she is." _

Tifa's heartbeat stops, literally. Cloud wish she is his girlfriend? What does that mean?

"_Heh, what's stopping you?"_

"_Well, I am going to make a move tonight though."_

"_Good luck then, young man. And thanks for the package."_

"_Likewise, sir."_

And the sound of closing door ensues. Tifa waits a while, but it seems that Mr. Lazlo had forgotten completely that Tifa is still on the line. She doesn't care; she quickly scrambles the phone back to its place and thus cutting the line.

She stood there, thinking of what she just heard.

'Cloud will make a move tonight?' she though deeply.

Seeing that no one is on the house, she leaps on the couch and squeals on the pillow. Finally, after so long waiting, Cloud is finally gonna do something tonight! Tifa's face is flustered red, and she didn't even realise it. She is far too excited.

Rolling and twisting back and forth on the couch, thousands of thoughts flash through her mind.

What will be his surprise?

'Well, base on Cloud's cold demeanour and self-centred personality, I don't think he will do anything romantic…'

'Perhaps just giving a bunch of roses and a simple 'I Love You'?'

'Doesn't matter, he's still cute in that way.'

Even in her showers, she doesn't even realise for how long she stand under the hot rain. Her thoughts are too busy working to figure out what Cloud is gonna do tonight. And for the rest of the day, and for the first time in her life, instead of spending time cleaning the already sparkling house, she lies on the bed and let her thoughts run with Cloud.

Later that day, when Tifa hears the sound of Fenrir's engine dies in front of the house, she calmly sits at the couch and pretends watching television. There's no way that she's gonna foil Cloud's surprise.

'Alright, calm down Tifa. No one called this afternoon and you don't know Cloud is coming back.'

The moment that Cloud steps into the house, Tifa pretended to be shocked.

"You are back early! How's the delivery going?" She goes and greets him.

"Hmm… good, I finished most of them today. And, by the way, Tifa…"

"Yes?"

"I am taking a week off."

That does it, Tifa goes on and pounces onto Cloud.

'So, Cloud's surprise is to spend a whole lonely week with me!'

"Umm…Teef?" Cloud returns her hug but looks down to her with a 'what are you doing' look.

"I am so glad! It's killing me to be lonely, you know!"

She relaxes her grip and so does Cloud. "You want me to get you dinner?"

"Okay… thanks, Teef. You've eaten yet?"

Tifa simply nods and makes her way to the kitchen while Cloud sits on the dining chair. He devours his meal like a beast. "I am sick of my own cooking. Finally, I can get a properly homemade dish." Cloud comments and Tifa giggles.

Tifa then pretends to clean the kitchen, that's the only way to be close to Cloud who is having his dinner near the dining table. Then, Cloud breaks the silence again, "Hey, Teef… Uh… Any plans tonight?"

"No. Why?" Tifa keep working on wiping her glasses.

"Can I bring you somewhere?"

'The surprise is not over?' Tifa mind screams. She freezes at where she is. And again Cloud snaps, "No?"

Tifa brain-smacked herself and answers back with a smile, "Okay… I am fine with that. It's been a long time since we go somewhere together anyway."

"Perfect."

And within a few minutes, Cloud finishes his dinner. He chugs in a glass of water and order Tifa to get changed. And, Cloud himself goes out to get his Fenrir going. It doesn't take long for Tifa to get finished and she is ready.

"Let's go." Cloud lays out his hand to Tifa, to which she gladly accepts and mounts on Fenrir.

It's near winter but there is still no snow yet, but the breeze itself is enough to cause both of them to shiver. In addition, now it's in the middle of the night. This is why Tifa had always warned Marlene and Denzel not to go out after curfew as they can easily catch a cold during the days when winter is up close. For Tifa, the best thing to do now is to snuggle up at the warm bed. But since Cloud is here now, it doesn't really matter for an exception to go out this late.

But the ride is long, very long. Along the way, there is always short silence, follow up by a simple conversation. "Where are we heading exactly?" Tifa broke out, but all she had for answer is a smirk and "You will know soon."

Even the longest ride, everything must come to an end. And there they are,

"N-Nibelheim?" Tifa mouth drops in awe when they are near the entrance.

Nibelheim is now rebuilt, but with the destruction of Shinra and Sephiroth, there is no more Clones chanting about Sephiroth or the Reunion or whatsoever. Just ordinary citizens, but nobody recognises Cloud and Tifa as the former residents though, other than the infamous Heroes that saved the world from crisis.

They didn't take the front gate as their entrance to avoid any unnecessary attention. Instead, Cloud takes a big round and parks his Fenrir there. They easily climb over and enter Nibelheim. And then, Cloud takes the lead and Tifa's jaw literally dropped when she see where Cloud is leading them.

The well, the place they made their promise.

"Cloud…" she murmurs softly. She can't believe it's still there, although they did visit it during the period when they are hunting Sephiroth.

"Do you remember?" He faces her with a smile. He goes and climbs on top of the well.

"…It's hard to forget." She replies and joins him.

"It's still the same until now." She continues, her tears are taking more and more control gradually.

"And do you remember today?"

"Today?"

Cloud smiles wider this time, "Well… today, when I am thirteen and you are twelve…" He gives some more hints.

Tifa then suddenly realises, and this time she couldn't control herself anymore, "That's right, today is the day you made the promise 9 years ago."

Her sobs can be heard and Cloud now boldly holds her hand, "I did."

"And you fulfill it." Tifa squeezes her hands to his tighter.

"No. Not yet." Cloud put his hand on her cheek and makes her faces him.

"Not until I make another one right here, right now."

"Hmm?"

"And even if you disapprove it, I don't care. I will still fulfil it nevertheless."

"And what is that?"

Cloud pulls Tifa's face closer to him. His forehead is now on Tifa.

"I promise, I will come to you whenever you need me..."

"I think it's the same one you made, right?" Tifa giggles amidst the tears.

"And to love you the rest of my life." Cloud's eyes are closing while he states his promise solemnly.

That does it. Tifa's world is spinning right now and she doesn't care about anything anymore. Being too overjoyed, she closed the gap between their faces to which Cloud gladly returns it. It's almost the same as the day 9 years ago, the moonlight, the well, the timeline… everything, but one. Instead of shy smiles and conversations, the adult Cloud Strife and Tifa Lockhart are now sharing a kiss.

Moments later, Tifa is resting her head on Cloud's chest and his fingers run smoothly on her hair.

"You know what, Cloud… This afternoon."

"What about it?"

"I overheard you talking to Mr. Lazlo on the phone. Every words of it, including your 'make a move'." She timidly admits.

"So… you knew this was coming?"

Before, she continues any further, she closes her eyes and snuggles up a bit closer to Cloud,

"Not really, I expected that you are giving me an unsurprising surprise. But… I didn't expect that this unsurprising surprise will turn out to be this…"

And she lands another feather-light kiss on his lips before finishing her sentence, "…Surprising"

_**Fin**_


End file.
